First baby name shortlist - be gentle with me!

[holytoast]

Am 36 weeks with first baby, no inkling what we are having, and have very little clue as to names either!

DH is irish, originally we had a girls name all sorted with Roisin, (cant do fada, sorry!) and have always struggled with boys names - I teach boys, and it's so hard!

Now DH has decided he doesn't want to do the 'plastic paddy' thing (his words!) and so far has come up with the sum total of one suggestion for a boys name...Ragnar..seriously, heard it on the news, its the Icelandic prime ministers name apparently. Oh, and James T. or Tiberius. really don't think he is being serious about all this...

Surname is a very un irish sounding, two syllables, Stt*

I have been a teacher for a while, so have got to dislike lots of lovely names due to not so lovely kids..and have heard so many horrible teasing nicknames, this is so hard!

So, girls...

Elizabeth - the only one so far DH likes!like the fact it has so many shotened names, which I think is important so it can grow with the baby, but don't actually like any particular nickname more than another, and can't imagine calling a tiny person such a long name everyday!
Beatrice - or possibly Beatrix - but problem with merging into surname? was my grandmothers name, (real name margaret, but one she used) love nn Bea.
Madeline - but only maddy as nn? for reason above, would like more options!
Matilda - tilda really, but too 'little girl' and popular?
Maggie - but MIL is Margaret,(Peggy really) and don't think DH would go for it...athough it might stop her going on about getting baby baptised! was also my grandmothers name. - but too old lady, not the cool kind?
Joni - although think it needs a proper name and can't think of one, IYSWIM.
Elspeth - like it, but what if they have a lisp? could be a disaster!

Boys...grand total of one..

Albert - my Great grandads name, loved him, and an amazing man...but reaction is always oh..or right...followed by silence! can't imagine a tiny baby Albert, either! Would be Albie really. DH not exactly on board.

Oisin was in the running.. but not anymore due to earlier 'Plastic paddy' decision!

Although would probably have either Roisin or Oisin as middle names with a more english first name.

and nowt else! we cannot think of another boys name that isn't really common, or boring (to me, anyway!) or 'naughty' or just not...right.

I think my taste is fairly traditional, but also like quirky - were both creative people, but don't want to saddle the child with an unusual name. DH's taste? sci fi icelandic prime ministers and anything that I go 'wtf?' to, it seems!

Aaargh!
Help!

Greta is fabulous, imo, and can be used as a stand alone name, without going near Margaret at all. And you can avoid Marg.

Not just Bertie (Albert) Ahern, but also Albert Reynolds.

Yep, liking greta too...aargh, so many lovely girls names, it's so going to be a boy...

And just reading back, I think it sounds like I mean Plastic Paddy in an offensive way, and I really don't - its DH's hangup, he is Irish, but has a thing about calling the kids really irish names, thinks it will label them. I loved Roisin....

Still, think they will be the middle names, Roisin and Oisin...its important to keep the irish/family thing in there somewhere I think...

How likely would Marg end up being a nickname with Margaret as a Birth cert name do you think? cause really loving Maggie, and even Margaret,but really hate Marge/Marg

Thanks holytoast and Skegness. You learn something new every day

What about something like Marianne, you have nn like Mari (marry or mahri), anne, anna, Molly even (I think Molly S-tt-- sounds lovely).

For boys I like Jago, it's unusual but Cornish so at least a Celtic link. Alfred? Aelfred is a middle Engish/anglo-saxon name I think. Er, Ingmar? Vigo?

I love Francis/Frank.

I think if you use Maggie as a nn for Margaret it may get shortened to Mags by her friends when older but I think you'd avoid Marge, as that has a toatly differnt sound.

not sure if it helps, but i like all your names. unlike most other posters i also like Elspeth, i guess its not a familiar name to most english people?

less keen on Albert, but i guess Bertie as a nickname is ok for a little boy

i also agree with the poster who said that if you go for anything very unusual ( like Tiberius)then give it as a middle name and James etc as a first name

My best friend is Joni, it works better in RL than you would think. Nicknames are commonly Moanie/bony types though.

I also know of a Margaret, quite a cool name nn Maggie, the only one in my age group I have met.

I also knew a Beatrice nn Beatty

I like them all

Like Alfie for a boy too I know an Archie and a Fynn and they're lovely boys too.

I love Margaret! I have a Margaret who gets called Maggie or occasionally Mags. It has never been Marge as it sounds completely different and once you pick the nn for Margaret yourself everyone will just follow.

deedon - is your Mn name where you live? [nosey]

No - it's not where I live!

I think Elizabeth and Albert are lovely names.

ok, bumping because now 38 weeks, baby is breech, and probably arriving in 9 days....and if a boy (of course, will be!) we have no names! I still like Albie, but not Albert, and we have nothing left...Alexander possibly, but don't like the nickname zander or xander - so help!!!!

Any boys suggestions at all? traditional, not too flowery, or posh sounding, not ending in s, with nickname potential.

Problem is I teach boys, see hundreds per week go through my classroom, so the names always have a link to me - mostly ok, but sometimes bad.

Just have nothing!

Ok, Albie could also be short for:
Alban, Albin, Alben (latin)
or
Albertus

Couldn't you just use Albie?

Nathanial (Nate nn)

Edward (Ned nn)

Barney

Oh, and wishing you all the best with the new DC!

Laurence (Laurie)

Alexander shortened to Alex?

Laurence/Laurie is lovely - dd1 would have been it.

I also like:
Barnaby
Benedict
Rowan

There's always Josepha (JO-SEFA) as an non-run-of-the-mill name? Sadly I can't use as I'm a Jo myself!